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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24438070">The Broken King</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Potttterhead/pseuds/Potttterhead'>Potttterhead</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 08:55:50</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,506</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24438070</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Potttterhead/pseuds/Potttterhead</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Disclaimer: I do not own the characters. Set in universe of JRR Tolkien.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I was walking down the spiral staircase when I heard the noise. I halted mid-step and tried to locate the source of the sound. It was quiet as I listened, but soon the small sound was there again. It sounded like a wounded animal. They were almost inaudible whimpers and pained breaths that came out in small gasps. </p><p>The noises came from below the staircase in the small room where I knew the king liked to have wine and audiences. Actually I was coming to report to him and expected him to be in the room. I took a few steps down the staircase and heard wine being poured. Someone was in the room at least. </p><p>I lingered in the shadow at the bottom of the staircase to assess the situation. The sound was there again, and I stepped into the light of the room. The king was seated behind the small table in the room. A decanter half full of wine was perched beside him, and so was a cup of wine. </p><p>I couldn’t see his face and was still unsure of the source of the sound. I took a few silent steps closer to Thranduil. He didn’t hear me coming, which was unusual and I stopped dead in my tracks just as I was about to speak up. </p><p>Thranduil whimpered silently and if it wasn’t because his body shook with the small sound, I wouldn’t have believed that it was him who had made it. I took a few hasty steps forward to meet him. I felt a knot of unease in my stomach when I realised that he must be injured.</p><p>Another pained sound escaped him and I observed as he put his hand to his face. “My lord, are you injured?” I asked him. He jumped in his seat, and he wiped his face swiftly with the backside of his hand.</p><p>“Shall I call for help?” I asked tentatively ready to run and call for help. “No” Thranduil immediately rejected. He whipped his face to face me and to my fear I realised that his eyes were red rimmed and residues of drops marked his silken collar. </p><p>I couldn’t form words from the surprise of seeing the pain still lingering in Thranduil’s eyes. I heard him take in a shaking breath. “What is it that you want, Tauriel?” he asked me. I swallowed the lump in my throat and gathered my wits to answer him.</p><p>“I came to give you the daily report, my lord”. I couldn’t remove my eyes from his, but he finally broke the eye contact. “Not right now, Tauriel. I am busy. Come back this afternoon”. He said sternly, but this time I noticed how rasping his voice sounded.</p><p>He was clearly upset, and I knew that the animal sounds I heard from the staircase had been silent crying. I was persistent. I knew Thranduil and knew that he was a proud king that wouldn’t seek help from his healers if an injury wasn’t life-threatening. “My lord, are you sure that you are not injured?”</p><p>He closed his eyes briefly and the pained grimace that graced his face was gone in less than a second. I was getting increasingly uneasy as something was clearly the matter with him. His eyes filled with unshed tears when he opened them again.</p><p>I stayed where I was two meters behind him. He was my king and I didn’t dare break the proper distance. We were not friends and the intimacy of the situation was unfamiliar to both of us. I was waiting for Thranduil to answer but he was clearly struggling with his voice. </p><p>“I am perfectly fine, Tauriel. You may go now”. My brow furrowed and I surprised myself by not leaving when he dismissed me. I knew the sight and feel of pain and sorrow after the death of Kili. I recognised the feelings I had felt and still was feeling in his eyes.</p><p>“You are not fine, my lord” I heard myself say, and my voice was soft but insisting. He opened his mouth to protest, but turned his back to me when no sound came from his lips. He put his head in his hands and his shoulders shook with silent cries.</p>
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<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I was stunned. I had known the king for centuries and had never seen him express this much emotion any time before. He was an elf millenniums older than me and was normally in complete control of everything concerning him. The sight of his despair send shivers down my back. I was genuinely frightened even though few things normally could.</p><p>He kept his back turned to me and I listened to his silent cries and moans for a moment.  “Leave, I said!” his voice rasped. He shook me and yet my feet wouldn’t leave the room. I carefully and quietly stepped forward, my hand trembled lightly as I put it on his shoulder. </p><p>He jumped in surprise and turned to me angrily. “Can you not understand simple orders?” he roared. My hand lingered in the air where his shoulder had just been and my eyes were fixed on his teary face. It was a sight I never had thought of before and never thought to ever see. Thranduil was the epitome of cold and regal. The tales went, that he never shed tears – even after the death of his father or of his wife. </p><p>“Beat it!” he roared again but this time his voice shook and cracked in the end. I was rooted to the spot. Thranduil turned his back to me again and a single sob escaped him. Fury seemed to wash over him, he got up with such temper that the chair fell back behind him. He flung his arm across the table and the decanter and cup flew off it and crashed on the floor.</p><p>He turned to me with fiery eyes and with tears still flowing down his cheeks. “I will banish you again, if you don’t obey me!”. It was only now I realised that I was trembling. I didn’t flee, and it seemed to defeat Thranduil even more. I watched in disbelief as he stumbled to the side almost slipping in his cloak. He caught the wall and slid to the floor. He succumbed to deep sobs that rung in the room. </p><p>I squatted down next to him but couldn’t form words. My presence didn’t curb his sobs either. His entire body shook with them and the tears kept streaming down his face. He didn’t try to wipe them or restrain himself anymore. He just cried. I held my breath and felt a cold sensation run through my body. <br/>I let him cry out. We must have sit like that for quite some time. My body was stiff and sore when the king’s tears seemed to dry up. He didn’t open his eyes for a long moment. He regained control of his breathing first even though it was still shaking and panting. </p><p>Finally, his eyes were opened, but he didn’t look at me. He stared indifferently into the distance. I waited for him to do something. Anything. But he didn’t. I couldn’t find anything pertinent to say and kept quiet. I felt uncomfortable, but also sympathetic enough to not be able to leave him to his despair. </p><p>“Do not be ashamed, my lord. I wont think any less of you”. Slowly his eyes met mine, they appeared empty. He was a shell of himself and didn’t look anything like my king if it wasn’t for the grand, silken clothing. </p><p>He stared into the distance again, and said in a clear voice, “…Everyone I ever cared about has left me”. I was stunned to silence. I knew that he had suffered great loss, and that Legolas had left the realm. But thinking about it I couldn’t name anyone close to the king, neither a member of family, a friend or ally, or even a close counsellor. </p><p>“You are not alone, Thranduil” I heard myself say, but it sounded hollow even to my own ears. I had nothing to back up the claim. Thranduil raised his hand to wipe a single tear that had fallen from his now dry eyes. </p><p>“There is nothing for me here – and there is nothing for me in Valinor. I will remain abandoned even in the land of the undying”. I felt a sting to my heart. “Legolas is not lost for ever, my lord. He will return to you when he is ready”.</p><p>A new row of tears began to stream down his face. “No… I have driven off my only child. The last living part of her”. His breathing became short and shaky again. He rasped “I have disgraced her memory. She would hate m…” and his voice cracked before he could finish the sentence.</p><p>He put his head down and hid his face in the large sleeve of the cloak. I knew that it must be his late wife that he spoke about.</p>
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